Application Deadlines & Requirements

Summary of Program Deadlines & Requirements 

A summary of graduate application deadlines and requirements for programs housed within the Graduate School is directly below. Applicants seeking admission to a specific program should apply via the online application link associated with that program (see summary below). In many cases, academic departments have indicated firm application deadlines. Only completed applications, with supporting materials, will be forwarded by Howard's Office of Admissions (a separate Office from the Graduate School) to your prospective degree program, whose faculty will render a decision on your application. No applicant will be admitted without the recommendation of an academic unit. 

Also, consider the following deadlines for filing a timely application:

  • Departmental deadlines for admission and consideration of assistantship funding from departmental sources. Applicants should contact the academic departments to determine these departmental funding deadlines.
  • Applications submitted earlier (before the priority deadline for fall 2026 entry indicated below for each program) will receive earlier consideration for admission and departmental funding opportunities.
  • Applicants have until the final deadline (noted for each program in the table below) to apply. However, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the admissions cycle.
  • **Important** Dec. 1 refers to the 2025 early deadline for Fall 2026 entry. For example, prospective students applying by the Dec. 1 fall early deadline must apply by December 1, 2025 (some programs have earlier deadlines).
  • **Important** Under the spring 2026 entry table below, Nov. 15 refers to the 2025 deadline for Spring 2026 entry, which is November 15, 2025.

Application Deadlines & Requirements (Fall 2026 Entry)

Program Entry Requirements Webpage Degree Program Details Application for Fall 2026 Entry 2025-26 GRE Requirement Rec Letters Required Interview Required Master's Degree Required Early Deadline (11:59 PM EST) for Fall 2026 Entry Priority Deadline (11:59 PM EST) for Fall 2026 Entry Final Deadline (11:59 PM EST) for Fall 2026 Entry
African Studies
MA More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
African Studies
PhD More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No Yes 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Online Applied Data Science & Analytics MS More Info GradCAS Not Required 2 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Atmospheric Sciences MS More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Atmospheric Sciences PhD More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Biology PhD More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Biomedical Sciences PhD More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Biomedical & Chemical Engineering PhD More Info EngineeringCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Chemical Engineering MS More Info EngineeringCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Chemistry MS More Info GradCAS GRE Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Chemistry PhD More Info GradCAS GRE Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Civil & Environmental Engineering PhD More Info EngineeringCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Clinical Psychology PhD More Info PSYCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 15 Nov 1 Dec
Communication Sciences and Disorders PhD More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 1 Apr
Communication, Culture, & Media Studies PhD More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No Yes 1 Dec 15 Feb
Computer Science MCS More Info EngineeringCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Computer Science PhD More Info EngineeringCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Counseling Psychology PhD More Info PSYCAS Not Required 3 letters Yes No 1 Nov 1 Dec
Developmental Psychology PhD More Info PSYCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 15 Nov 1 Mar
Economics MA More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Economics PhD More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Educational Psychology PhD More Info PSYCAS Not Required 3 letters Yes (select applicants) No 1 Nov 1 Feb 1 Mar
Electrical Engineering PhD More Info EngineeringCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
English PhD More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb
Graduate Certificate in Cybersecurity Cert More Info GradCAS Not Required 2 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Graduate Certificate in Faculty Preparation Cert More Info GradCAS Not Required 2 letters No Yes 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Graduate Certificate in International Studies Cert More Info GradCAS Not Required 2 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Graduate Certificate in Women's Studies Cert More Info GradCAS Not Required 2 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Higher Education Leadership and Policy Studies PhD More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters Yes Yes 1 Nov 1 Dec
History MA More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
History PhD More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Mathematics PhD More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Mechanical Engineering MEng More Info EngineeringCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Mechanical Engineering PhD More Info EngineeringCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Medical Physics MS More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters Yes No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Neuropsychology PhD More Info PSYCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 15 Nov 15 Jan
Nutritional Sciences MS More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters Yes (Dietetics track only) No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Nutritional Sciences PhD More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No Yes 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Personality Psychology PhD More Info Not accpeting applicants n/a n/a No No Not accpeting applicants Not accpeting applicants Not accpeting applicants
Pharmaceutical Sciences PhD More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Physics PhD More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Political Science MA More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Political Science PhD More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
Public Health MPH More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Feb 15 Apr
School Psychology PhD More Info PSYCAS Not Required 3 letters Yes No 1 Nov 1 Feb 1 Mar
Social Psychology PhD More Info PSYCAS GRE Required 3 letters No No 15 Nov 15 Apr
Social Work PhD More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No Yes 1 Dec 15 Jan
Sociology MA More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 15 Jan
Sociology PhD More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No Yes 1 Dec 15 Jan
Speech-Language Pathology MS More Info CSDCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 1 Dec 30 Jan

Application Deadlines & Requirements (Summer 2026 Entry)

Program Entry
Requirements
Webpage
Degree Program Details Application for Summer 2026 Entry 2025-26 GRE Requirement Rec Letters Required Interview Required Master's Degree Required Final Deadline (11:59 PM EST) for Summer 2026 Entry
Online Applied Data Science & Analytics MS More Info GradCAS Not Required 2 letters No No 15 Apr

Application Deadlines & Requirements (Spring 2026 Entry)

Program Entry
Requirements
Webpage
Degree Program Details Application for Spr 2026 Entry 2025-26 GRE Requirement Rec Letters Required Interview Required Master's Degree Required Final Deadline (11:59 PM EST) for Spring 2026 Entry
African Studies
MA More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 15 Nov
African Studies
PhD More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No Yes 15 Nov
Online Applied Data Science & Analytics MS More Info GradCAS Not Required 2 letters No No 15 Nov
Atmospheric Sciences MS More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 15 Nov
Atmospheric Sciences PhD More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 15 Nov
Chemical Engineering MS More Info EngineeringCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 15 Nov
Chemistry MS More Info GradCAS GRE Required 3 letters No No 15 Nov
Chemistry PhD More Info GradCAS GRE Required 3 letters No No 15 Nov
Civil & Environmental Engineering PhD More Info EngineeringCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 15 Nov
Computer Science MCS More Info EngineeringCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 15 Nov
Computer Science PhD More Info EngineeringCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 15 Nov
Economics MA More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 15 Nov
Economics PhD More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 15 Nov
Electrical Engineering PhD More Info EngineeringCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 15 Nov
Graduate Certificate in Cybersecurity Cert More Info GradCAS Not Required 2 letters No No 15 Nov
Graduate Certificate in Faculty Preparation Cert More Info GradCAS Not Required 2 letters No Yes 15 Nov
Graduate Certificate in International Studies Cert More Info GradCAS Not Required 2 letters No No 15 Nov
Graduate Certificate in Women's Studies Cert More Info GradCAS Not Required 2 letters No No 15 Nov
Mathematics PhD More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 15 Nov
Mechanical Engineering MEng More Info EngineeringCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 15 Nov
Mechanical Engineering PhD More Info EngineeringCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 15 Nov
Nutritional Sciences (Nutrition and Experimental tracks) MS More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 15 Nov
Nutritional Sciences PhD More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No Yes 15 Nov
Pharmaceutical Sciences PhD More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 15 Nov
Physics PhD More Info GradCAS Not Required 3 letters No No 15 Nov